Drift Away
by Ainat
Summary: She was living her dream when it was taken away from her out of the blue. Without nowhere to go, she must return to an unwanted life and to a not so solved past as she thought.
1. Poor Misguided Fool

**A/N: **One day I'll convince myself not to write a new story when I already have so many published. Until then, bear me. I started writing this story last year and I finally decided to share it with you. Hopefully you'll enjoy it. I apologize for the grammar and spelling mistakes. English isn't my first language.

Enjoy! ;)

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**Drift Away**

_Chapter One -_ Poor Misguided Fool

- I'm sorry, but the Agency doesn't want to renew your contract. Starting tomorrow, you have parted ways with us.

Stacy Keibler wasn't a morning person. It had spent years since she had to wake up early in the morning. Certainly when she did it for the last time, she still had to attend college classes and that had happened more than a decade ago.

When the cell-phone rang the previous night informing her that she had a meeting with her agency at eight of morning, the blonde's first thought was that the song blasting throughout the nightclub affected her hearing capacity. After the Agency sent a cell-phone message with the meeting hour due to her personal request, the soon-to-be unemployed model understood that she heard every single word correctly. There wasn't a mistake as she hoped so.

The night of clubbing obligated her to drag her body out of bed to be on time at the early meeting. Her roommate was still sleeping without intentions of waking up when she left their apartment not too far away from Downtown Los Angeles.

However, now Stacy was one hundred percent sure that her hearing had been hurt along with her vision. As soon as the business gathering was over, she would go straight to a medical clinic. He couldn't have said that her contract would expire the next day and that another one wouldn't be signed. It meant that beginning tomorrow she was a jobless model. He plainly couldn't have just said that.

- I don't understand - the blonde stammered shocked after being in silence for mere minutes. Of course, she understood every single word that he told her. Nonetheless, it was difficult to accept as true what the man told her.

Throughout her modeling career, the Agency he worked for had represented her. The blonde refused to believe they were abandoning her now. She had always been an ideal employee. Perpetually ready to accept any job - unless a Playboy invitation and that wasn't even offered by the Agency -, the model had always done everything in a power to please them.

As hard as it was to believe, her mind wasn't playing tricks and the unwanted truth was right there. She couldn't run from it. There was nothing she could do to change their minds.

Were they actually letting her go? In other words: were they freaking firing her? Next month, the tall blonde would celebrate twelve years working under their wing. She had proposals from other modeling agencies and yet she never left them.

They just couldn't fire her out of nowhere as they were doing right now after all the years she worked for them. She was always a dedicated employee all the way through those years. She didn't deserve to be treated like she was a D-list worker.

- Stacy, don't make this more difficult for us than it already is. We like you, we seriously do. - It was a lie. He wasn't having a hard time firing her. Every day he let someone go. She was just one more person to be fired on his list. It didn't mind all the years of her life that she gave them. And, it certainly didn't matter the fact that the company liked her.

- Why? - He raised his eyebrow in confusion. Which reason didn't she want to hear? Their reasons would without doubt hurt her. - Why are you letting me go? Why are you doing this to me? I have worked for the Agency for twelve years and I have always been a perfect employee. You can't let me go without a reason.

- If you want the truth…

- Yes, I do want the truth. My working schedule is faultless. I've always done everything you asked me to. - She wanted the truth more than anything. From a moment to another, they were letting her go. She deserved to know why they took such decision.

- Stacy, you are thirty-two and you seem to be in your forties. People are saying you look too old. Your looks have vanished. - And they had to think the same thing as those people or they wouldn't kick her out if they thought differently. - This agency can't keep you working under its name when your time is over. You would give us negative publicity. You wouldn't want that, would you?

Until that moment Stacy never thought that she was old - or looking old, if it matters. The blonde stared at her own reflect and she thought she looked good for her age. Of course, she didn't have the same appearance she did years ago - who would have? A few wrinkles around her eyes were appearing, but it was all part of the aging process. She couldn't reverse it.

- You can't fire me like this. It's unfair. - She was sounding a teenage girl instead of a woman in her thirties. Stacy was flabbergasted by the fact that she was still able to pronounce a word.

- It is already done. Another contract is out of question. We spoke with our attorneys. After all that we gave to you, you better not to do anything stupid.

- But… - The words were cut off by the man's voice. He had more important stuff to take care of than to console or listen to Stacy's mumbles. As quickly as this conversation came to an end better for him.

- We wish you good luck in your future environments. We know you will be happy and very successful.

Future environments? Happy and successful? Without this job, she had no future ahead. Her life was officially over. She was living the moment, without worrying about the future because this day was too far to come. If she had understood before how wrong she was about it… This day arrived sooner than she was expecting and now she was disorientated.

- What am I going to do now? - Twelve years ago, Stacy had left everything behind to live in Los Angeles; to start a modeling career. She had nothing left from her old life and the new one she built over the years was being taken away from her. In a blink of the eye, they took her current life away from her. What was she going to do now?

- I don't know Stacy, but this isn't the end of the World. - It indubitably was the end of the World as she knew it. It wasn't the end of his World, but it was the end of hers. - Perhaps it's time for you to settle down. You aren't getting younger and without the demands of this job you can have kids. Maybe one day you can bring the kid here to be in some commercial. If he is good looking as you, the Agency would love to hire him.

First, they fired her for being too old. Then they ordered her to settle down and get pregnant so they could sign with her future son or daughter for some diaper commercial. What was wrong with those people? They were firing her and it meant they didn't have any more power over her life; they were far from having the right to tell her what to do.

Without saying another word, Stacy rose up from her seat. The unemployed woman walked away from the office with her eyes getting watery. She promised to herself that she wouldn't cry in front of this man or any other member of the Agency. She wouldn't give them the pleasure of seeing her hurt and desperate.

Life can be unexpected and the tall blonde had a taste of it. In a heartbeat, she lost everything she fought for; everything she knew. She gave up so much to be in Los Angeles, to be a model. And now it was all taken away from her because she didn't appear a woman in her twenties.

Outside, the morning sun caressed her skin. Its warmness pulled away the dark cloud covering her day. Her career was over, but she still had her family - even though her parents lived miles away -, her friends and her boyfriend. They would support her through the difficult moment she was facing. The comforting sensation didn't last long. Bad news never came alone.

Listening to her iPhone ringing, Stacy took it out from her purse. Her lips coiled into a lighthearted smile. Thinking of the devil…

The person calling her from the other side was her current boyfriend, George Cook. He was a photographer and they met through their professions. After a Valentine's Day photographic session, he invited her to a dinner and they hadn't let go each other since then. They had been together for the last four years.

Stacy never said it out loud, but she was expecting him to propose to her any time soon. The evidence was there: he was acting so out of the ordinary lately and one of her friends saw him leaving a jewelry-store a couple of weeks ago. At least one excellent thing was going to happen in her life those days.

- How did you know I would be awoken so soon? - Her boyfriend was aware of her sleep patterns. The only away to get her out of in the early hours of the day was a photo-shoot in a heavenly island.

_- I thought I would wake you up. Stacy, I…_ - Before he went further with the reason he called so soon, the model interrupted him. He had no idea of how thankful she was for his call.

- I'm so glad you called me. - She needed someone with whom she could speak with after the last events. Of course, she was still hoping it was all a mistake and the Agency would call her to apologize and renew her contract. - You have no idea of what happened to me this morning. May I pass by your house?

_- I would rather not -_ he said, catching Stacy off guard. Why didn't he want her to go there? - _Look Stacy, I have been thinking and I think it's best for both of us if we spend some time apart. I need to sort out a couple of things and I can't have you around. _

To spend some time apart? He needed to sort out a couple of things? Was George breaking up with her? But he was going to propose. He went to a jewelry store not too long ago and he certainly bought an engagement ring for her. He wasn't being himself towards her.

A devastating truth hit her core. If George wasn't preparing himself to make her an honest woman, then he was cheating on her. His sudden disappearances and the many unanswered calls started making a lot more sense. She wasn't going to become Mrs. Keibler-Cook as she had expected.

- Are seeing someone else? - Inside her, Stacy found the energy and courage to ask him if there was another woman in his life. She wasn't going to be the second option in case he didn't "sort out a couple of things". She refused to be the second choice.

_- I'm sorry, Stacy. I need some time. _

The blonde turned off her cell-phone, not wanting to hear another word from his mouth. If he needed some time, then she would give him all the time in the World. George may have not said the words, but for her they were over.

In less than an hour not only she lost her job as she broke up with her boyfriend. Her life was turned upside down. A tear finally fell from her hazel eyes. The life she knew in Los Angeles had come to an abrupt end. What was she going to do now?

* * *

When she finally arrived home, Stacy locked herself in her own bedroom. In the darkness, the blonde tried to forget how badly her day started. Of course it was an impracticable chore. The consequences of the latest developments in her life weren't going to fade away.

The World was against her - it did steal from her dream job and a boyfriend on the same day. The perfection she fought to achieve crumbled down to her feet.

A knock on the door interrupted Stacy's pity and crying session. Someone still cared about her well-being. Torrie Wilson, her roommate, opened the door and stepped into the bedroom.

Noticing Torrie wasn't at home when she arrived, the model sent her a text message informing her of her setbacks - she was fired for being too old for the Agency and George was cheating on her and not planning to make her his wife. Torrie was the closest person she had in Los Angeles - the fitness mode, who worked for a different Agency, was the first person she met when moved to the dream city - and the only one with whom she wanted to discuss the matter.

- Stacy, I brought vanilla ice-cream and two spoons. I thought you would like to share. - The blonde woman moved into the room. She took a seat on the bed edge, near the depressed model. - It's one of your favorite flavors.

Torrie's eyes scanned the bedroom and found the wrap of chocolate bars and two empty boxes of jelly gums surrounding her friend. Perhaps she shouldn't have brought ice-cream. It seemed Stacy had already had her share of sugar for the day.

Stacy swerved her eyes from the television screen and looked at her friend. She did eat more candy than she should. However, after so many years of counting calories and exhaustive work-out sessions, she deserved a day without worrying about her weight. After all she went through that morning, the astronomic amount of calories she ingested was the last of her troubles.

- Don't give me that look. From now on, I can eat everything I want without worry about the calories. I'm jobless and boyfriend-less.

- Not if I want to take you to Fashion District - Torrie replied, turning on the bedside lamp. Shopping always makes a girl feel better and Stacy was no exception. Now, she had to figure out a way to drag Stacy out of her sudden misery.

- I don't want to go there. - Rubbing salt on her wounds wasn't going to change her state of spirit; it would only make it worse.

And her bank account wasn't going to survive to a hopping spread. After twelve years receiving constant works, she should have a lot more money on her account than she had. Nonetheless, being a model meant she renovated her closet every single month. Saving money wasn't on her mind - especially when she thought she had a few more years ahead before retiring.

- What are you going to do now?

- I don't know - Stacy whispered, wiping the drops of salty water from her cheeks. The tears stopped running from her eyes.

What did the future reserve for her? She didn't have money to pay the rent. If her modeling agency rejected her, no other Agency would accept to work with her - especially after what she was told about her age. She hadn't felt old until that gloomy morning.

After one year and half, the blonde quit college to pursue a modeling career in Los Angeles. As much as she told herself that she would return to college when her career established, the blonde woman never found time to complete her studies. At this point, she wouldn't find a single job with a nice paycheck to keep her fabulous and expensive life.

There was only one available option: to return to her hometown.

The only option frightened her to death. It had spent more than ten years since she had been there. Her hometown would be so much different by now. Since moving to Los Angeles, her parents always visited her and not the otherwise. She didn't hate the town where she grew up. But after all those years, that place wasn't her home anymore; it wasn't enough for her after the live she had throughout the last years. She had to find another solution and she had to find it fast.


	2. Embarking on an Old Life

**A/N:** Thank you** FierceWildCat**,** therealchamps**, **my time is now**, **ChainGangHottieWithKillerLeg s**, **Cena's baby doll** and **DashingsDestiny** for the reviews. Even though this chapter isn't worth the wait, I hope you enjoy it. I apologize for the spelling and grammar mistakes. English isn't my first language.

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**Drift Away**

_Chapter Two -_ Embarking on an Old Life

Unfortunately, another solution wasn't figure out, putting an end to Stacy's deepest hopes. After one week searching for a new modeling Agency to represent her, she found herself still unemployed and with less money on her wallet - living in Los Angeles wasn't cheap. The only Agency who accepted work with her was in fact a Call-girl service. Even though her life changed in a blink of an eye, the blonde model wasn't that desperate.

There was only one path to follow for her despair. Before suffering another change of heart and cling to another hope without future, the blonde booked a ticket to her hometown - the small town located in the mid-Atlantic region didn't have an airport; the nearest airport was two hours away from it.

A week and half after being let go by the modeling Agency, Stacy found herself saying goodbye to Torrie and embarking on a new journey. Goodbye Los Angeles. Hello again Sunset Bell. Goodbye glamour. Hello again fancy beauty pageants. This was a turn of events that she had never dreamed of.

Stacy took a mental note not to wear leather pumps next time she caught a flight without being under someone else's wing. She would probably end up twisting an ankle while picking up her heavy luggage. It wasn't easy not to miss the times when someone picked up the bags for her and then took them to the hotel while she went to see the mind-blowing view with the other models. Just two weeks ago it would have happened and now she was all by herself.

Wrapping her arms over her chest, Stacy waited for the arrival of her luggage. It had been so difficult to pack all her belongings. How could she pack ten years of her life? Some of her stuff had been left behind and Torrie would send her the items as soon as it was possible. Hopefully, Torrie's new roommate - that she had helped find before leaving to Sunset Bell - wouldn't steal her Jimmy Cho shoes.

From the five bags one was missing. Her luck was only getting better and better. First she lost her job, then her boyfriend and now one of her bags. Until this day, the flight companies had never lost one of her bags. How unlucky could a person be?

Pacing the lengthy halls, Stacy found the Lost and Found section. Hopefully, they would help with her current situation. In a blink of an eye, her precious bag would be back to her arms. The blonde closed her eyes and counted until ten. Her dramatic persona would take over if she didn't control herself.

- Excuse me, but one of my bags is missing. What do I have to do to get it back?

- Please fill in this form. - The woman at the desk handed her a sheet of paper. - Don't forget the address of where you are staying and we will send your bag when we find it.

With a fake smile illuminating her features, Stacy picked up the form and answered its questions. If her bag was lost forever, the flight company was going to be in serious problems. Did they know how expensive a Louis Vuitton suitcase was? Did they know how expensive were the clothes inside the bag? She may have not paid for all of them, but they still were expensive.

When her task came to end, the tall woman went looking for her ride: Gary and Patricia Keibler, her parents. After telling her parents she was coming to Sunsent Bell, they insisted that they had to pick her up to the airport. Their only daughter wasn't going to grab a cab when she had two loving parents who could give her a ride. Stacy tried to persuade them to let her call a cab, but the woman she called mother was stubborn as hell.

- Stacy! - The blonde turned around her slim body and saw her parents standing just a few feet away from her. The woman was too excited with her daughter's return. Her mother's feelings were the opposition of her own feelings at the moment.

Two arms were wrapped around her neck and pushed her down. The blonde was taller than her mother and the stupid pumps - why wasn't she using ballerinas? - only added a few extra inches. Her back would need a few seconds to recover from the long and tight hug.

- You are too thin and pale. - The words flew from Patricia's mouth when she broke the hug. Stacy would lie if she exclaimed she wasn't expecting her mother to comment her appearance. It would be strange if she did the otherwise.

For her mother, she always looked thin - it was like that since she could remember. But it didn't mean the woman wanted her to put some weight on. Her mother made sure that her only daughter always ate vegetables and never allowed her eating any kind of sweets. She wanted a beautiful and skinny daughter.

However, it was the first time the woman exclaimed that she looked pale. Of course it wasn't a surprise for the former model - it was difficult and excruciating to think of herself as a former model. Her tan sessions under the Californian sun had come to an end since she was fired. Also, after days of unstopping tears and poor diet her skin clearly wasn't going to glow as it was usual. When she arrived home, it would be time to take care of her skin before someone gave her fifty years instead of forty.

- You are looking beautiful as always. - Her father planted a fatherly kiss on her check. It has always been his function to cheer up his only daughter when Patricia made such hurtful remarks. He would always make her feel better after Patricia's disapproval.

- Thanks, Dad.

- How is George? - The woman asked, ignoring her husband's words. She looked everywhere, as she was hoping to find her daughter's ex at any second. - Didn't he come with you? I thought he was going to make us a visit as well.

There was a small thing Stacy forgot to mention when she spoke with her mother on the phone: she and George were over; they weren't an item anymore. The two hadn't spoken or seen each other since the day they broke up. George could have all the time in the world to sort things out without worrying about their relationship. While she truly believed he wanted to marry her, he was indeed cheating on her.

At the beginning, the break up was a huge low blow. But later, Stacy realized she was better alone than being cheated by a guy who was afraid of taking their relation to the next level.

- We are giving a break. And it's probably a definitive break - the blonde confessed, even though it was difficult for her to do so. - He doesn't want commitment and I'm not going to waste another year waiting for him to take the next step. I don't have time to waste on a relation without a future.

- Stacy, you aren't getting younger and I'm dying to have grandchildren. I want to be a grandmother before passing away. Can you do that for me?

It was a touchy subject for both Keibler women. Stacy was aware that she wasn't getting any younger. She had lost her job because of it. However, her mother didn't need to remind her of it. Now, the older woman had been dreaming of her daughter's wedding day since she was a born. After her daughter's graduation the woman wanted to marry her immediately. Also, she desired children so she could get back to the pageants.

- We have a long journey until home. - The older man helped his daughter with the heavy bags. He wondered if he wasn't carrying lead. Of course, he was only carrying many pairs of shoes, but he didn't know that. - We parked it a few blocks away. We didn't want to park it in the middle of this confusion or we wouldn't leave this airport any time soon. Shall we go?

Stacy inhaled a deep and long breath. When the night fell, her feet would desperately need basin of hot water. Without dugout she had returned home; she was back to her hometown. And, she didn't feel like celebrating her return at all, otherwise her parents.

* * *

- What are we doing here? - Stacy fathomed the supermarket parking lot. As far as she knew, her parents were still living in a residential neighborhood. They should have driven her home and not to the only supermarket in Sunset Bell. She was exhausted from her trip and due to her mother's speaking skills she hadn't taken a short nap during the travel.

- It's just a short stop. You can stay in the car with your father. I forgot to buy a few things for tonight. A family dinner always has a lemon pie.

- What family dinner? - No, no, no! This couldn't be happening. This wasn't going to happen. Why was her mother doing this to her? Couldn't they just spend a cozy night together and then face the rest of the family the following day?

With a beam illuminating her features, Patricia walked out of the car, without giving an answer to her daughter. Her father sent a reassuring smile in her direction, but it didn't make the blonde feel any better.

Stacy unwrapped her security belt and followed her mother as swiftly as it was possible with her leather pumps. A family dinner? What family dinner? She wasn't ready to confront her family. What if they asked her the reason that she returned and discovered she was lying with all her teeth? She hadn't confessed her parents the real reason that she decided to go to Sunset Bell.

Yes, she had lied to them. Why so surprised? How could she have explained to her progenitors that she had been fired for her appearance not being fresh and young anymore? The blonde woman had told them that she took some weeks off and planned to stay a while with them. Sooner than later, she would have to reveal them the truth. They would become suspicious if a week turned out two months and two months turned into a year - hopefully, she wouldn't live with her parents for very long.

- What dinner are you talking about? I have just landed from Los Angeles. I need to rest before meeting the family.

- You are never too tired for your family and they don't care about those dark circles under your eyes. I'll be right back honey.

Left behind by her mother, Stacy wondered about her words. Dark circles under her eyes? She would break all the mirrors when she found herself at home once for all. And, never tired for the family? When the night came to an end, she would be so screwed. Surely someone would discover the truth. She wasn't the greatest liar on the World; it was always very difficult for her to cover up her own lies. Before she noticed, the embarrassing truth would be flying from her lips.

- Stacy? - Twisting her heels, the jobless model was confronted by one of her old high school friends. In a matter of fact, the woman standing mere feet away was one of her closest friends back in high school. - It's really you.

- Hi, Trish. - She pulled up a dazzling smile. It was good to feel she hadn't been forgotten although spending years away from Sunset Bell.

The petite blonde wrapped her arms around Stacy's body. Her spine would be broken when she finally fell on a bed at the end of the day. The two women lost touch through the years - mainly because of Stacy - but Trish was acting as nothing had happened between them. The behavior caught Stacy off guard, but then she remembered herself that old town folks are friendlier and less resentful than people from Los Angeles. There was a good side of Sunset Bell. A good side that she seemed to have lost when she left her hometown.

- Visiting the small town? - Trish queried, breaking the hug. The blonde's presence was a surprise without a doubt. It seemed no one was expecting to see her in Sunset Bell any time soon. If it wasn't an awful twist in her life, she wouldn't expect to drag her body to her hometown any time soon as well.

She was indeed a predictable person.

- Well, as haven't been here for a while, I decided to relive some memories, see how family and friends are doing. - Would someone notice that she was lying with all white-pearl teeth? Being back without her modeling job was her worse nightmare. That wasn't how she wanted to return home.

- Are you going to stay for long?

- Only for a couple of weeks. - Or until the rest of her life if she couldn't find a job. And when she found a job that job had to be on the fashion area. She wasn't going to become a waitress or something alike. She simply refused to do it!

- I and some of the girls usually met at Darcy's. It's our night free of our husbands and kids - Trish told. It was good to know that there were still some places to go out in the town. - You could join us tomorrow night if you like. We haven't seen you since… how long has it been?

Finally an easy question! She remembered how long it had been since she had left and she remembered it perfectly.

- Ten years since I moved to Los Angeles. - Ten glory years that ended up with her being fired without any glory. It was another fact that she was going to keep to herself. No one needed to know how inglorious she left Los Angeles.

- So, do you want to join us? I'm sure the girls will love to see you and hear about your adventures in Los Angeles. Chris is going to take care of the kids, so I can pass by your parents' house to pick you up. - Did she mean Chris Jericho? Stacy battled her instincts not to sound nosy. - You are staying there, right?

Where else could she be staying? It wasn't like she could afford a hotel bedroom for the rest of her life. She couldn't even afford one until having her life on track. Also, her parents would never let her stay in a hotel bedroom. Old traditions ordered that she had to stay with her family. The blonde clearly needed to draw a plan or her life would never get back on track again.

- Why not? See you tomorrow then. - If she was going to stick around for a long time, nothing better than reconnect with her past friends; her now married friends; her friends living parenthood. Stacy twisted her heels ready to leave the supermarket.

Her thoughts weren't reassuring. Her return would surely be a disaster. Did she still have something in common with her childhood friends nowadays? Or were they now completely different? Their lives followed different paths and their interests had probably diverged throughout those years.

Without mention her childhood times - whose girl hadn't thought of a white dress? - , the first time Stacy seriously thought about becoming a Mrs. was a couple of weeks ago when George started acting out of ordinary. Of course, at the end, he was a cheater who had no intentions of marrying her. Also, the first time she faced the reality of having a child was during her firing process. Haven't the agency employee told her to build a family before it was too late? Now it was too late for her to marry and to have children. She didn't have the guy to do it and after her latest dating experience she didn't desire to jump to another relationship so quickly.

An odd contemplation overrun Stacy's thoughts while she paced to the supermarket exit. It had spent years since she took a moment to seriously dwell about him. Did he still live in Sunset Bell or did he leave their hometown as she did so many years ago? Did he marry like everyone else from her past? If he married, was she a hometown girl or an outsider? The town was small. Certainly, sooner than later, she would discover the answer for those questions.


End file.
